Once upon a dreary, as I pondered, weak and weary Over many a and curious volume of forgotten lore While I nodded, nearly napping, there came a tapping As if one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door "Tis visitor," I muttered, tapping at my chamber door only this this and nothing more
Muttering I got up weakly, always I've had trouble Stumbling upright my mind racing, furtive thoughts flowing once I there hoping for some sunrise, happiness be a surprise Loneliness no longer a prize, rapping at my door Seeking out the clever bore, lost in dreams more Only this and more
Hovering my pulse was racing, tobacco my lips tasting Scotch upon my basin, remnants of the night before Came again tapping on the door, in my mind jabbing Is it in or rapping, calling out to me once more The fit and fury of Lenore, nameless here forever And the sad uncertain, rustling of the purple curtain Thrilled me, me
With fantastic terrors felt before, so that now, oh wind Stop breathing, yet to calm my breathing 'Tis some entreating, entrance at my chamber door Some lost visitor entreating, entrance at my chamber is it, and nothing more, deep into the darkness peering Long I stood there, wondering fearing, dreaming fantasies No dared to dream before But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness no token And the only word spoken, was the whispered name, Lenore
This I thought in out loud whispered my lips The foul name festered, echoing itself merely this, and more Back into my chamber turning, nerve within me burning once again I heard a tapping, somewhat louder than before "Surely," I, surely that is something at my iron staircase Open the to see what threat is, open that window, free the shutters Let us this mystery explore, Oh! bursting heart be this once And let this mystery it is the wind and nothing more
Just one I muttered as inside, I gagged and shuddered When with manly flirt and flutter, in flew a stately raven Sleek and ravenous as any foe, not the least made he Not a minutes gesture towards me, of or politeness But above my chamber door, this fowl and salivating visage Insinuating with its knowledge, perched above my chamber Silent sat and staring nothing more, a-skance,
The self's sad fancy smiles at you I swear, at this savage Countenance it wears, though you show here scorn and and I admit forlorn and craven, ghastly grim and ancient raven Wandering from the opiate shores, tell me, Thy Lordly name is? That you are not sewage Some powdered drink or inhalation from flames of downtown lore stroke the raven never more
And the raven sitting lonely, staring sickly at my male sex That one word as if his in that one word, he did outpour, pathetic Nothing farther than he uttered, not a then he fluttered Till finally was I that muttered as I stared, at the floor Other friends have and left me Flown as each and every hope has before And as you no will before tomorrow But the bird said never
Then I felt the air grow denser, perfumed from some unseen As though accepting angelic intrusion, when in fact I felt Before the guise, of memories respite through the haze of cocaine's glory I smoke and I smoke the blue vial's To at once, the base Lenore Stroke the raven more Prophet said I, thing of evil, Prophet still, if bird or By Heaven that bend above us, by that God we both ignore Tell this soul sorrow laden, willful and destructive intent
How had a pure heart lady, to the greediest of needs Sweaty arrogant dick less liar, who to nothing higher Than a jab prick to a needle, straight to betrayal and disgrace The conscience showing not a trace, stroke the never more Be that our sign of parting Bird or fiend," I yelled upstarting, get thee back the tempest the smoke filled bottle's shore, leave no black plume as a token Of the thy soul hath spoken, leave my loneliness unbroken
Quit as those have quit before, take the talon my heart And see I can care no more, whatever mattered came before I vanished with the dead Lenore, the raven never more But the raven, never is sitting silent sitting, above a painting silent painting Of the forever silenced and his eyes have all the seeming Of a demon's that is dreaming, and the lamplight him Streaming throws his shadow to the floor I she Who me more, I love she who hates me more And my soul shall not be lifted from that nevermore